Electric water-heating faucet



E. C. WEBSTER.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATING FAUCET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17 I915- Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

INVENTOR, E. C. I'Vbste BY M 1. Mal a A TTORNE Y' 5 W/EEMNQM o 5 EBNEsT c. WEBSTER, OF EAST oaxnann, CALIFORNIA. I

ELECTRIC WATER-HEATING FAUCET.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed May 17, 1915. Serial No. 28,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST C. WEBsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Water- Heatin Faucets, of which the following is a speci cation.

My invention relates to improvements in electric water heating faucets and especially in the electric water heating faucet for which United States Letters Patent No. 1,008,320 were granted to me Nov. 24th, 1914.

One object of the invention is to provide in such a faucet means for preventing the wasteful escape of heat therefrom.

A further object is to provide a construction by which the water closing the circuit between the electrodes may be quickly drained when the water is shut off.

A further object is to provide means for preventing the cold water when first being turned on from flowing upward into the electric heating chamber.

A further object is to provide a single valve for supplying hot and cold water.

A further object is to provide means for regulating the velocity of the stream of water which is being heated in order that,

with a given electric current, the tempera tune to which it is raised may be varied as desired.

In the accom anying drawing, Figure 1 is a front View 0 my improved electric water heater; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof; Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections on the lines 3 3, 1 4, 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of 2; Fig. 7 is a detail.

vertical longitudinal section through the valve handle; Fig. 8 is a detail transverse vertical section through the valve.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the main body of my improved electric water heater, cored vertically as shown at 2, to form a water supply conduit, horizontally, as shown at 3, to form a valve seat, and also horizontally on one side of the valve seat and at right angles thereto, as shown at 4, to permit the escape of water. The valve seat 3 communicates with the water supply conduit 2 by a comparatively wide vertical port 6 and a horizontal port 7, comparatively narrow, and also communicates with the water outlet conduit 4 by a port 11. Screwed into the outer end of said outlet conduit 4 is a spout 9, and pressed tightly into its inner tapered, and fitting therein is a valve 12.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

the middle portion of which is conical, and y is pressed inwardly against the valve seat by a spring 13 pressed between the valveand a plug 14 screwed into the body 1, the ends of said spring 13 being contained in recesses in the valve and plug. A washer 5 surrounds a stem 16 of the valve and is pressed inwardly against a shoulder 17 in the body by packing 18 around the stem 16, which packing in turn is pressed inwardly by means of a gland 19, screwed into the valve body. By reason of this construction, the valve is always kept tight against its seat notwithstanding any wear thereon. Said valve is formed with an angular conduit 21, the ends of which terminate at points apart in the circumferential direction of the valve. When said valve is in a position in which the ends of said angular conduit register respectively with the ports 6 and 11, cold water can flow from the supply conduit 2 to the spout 9. When the valve is turned from this position through half a turn, so that one terminal of the conduit 21 registers withthe port 7, the other terminal thereof will register with a conduit 22 leading upwardly into a circular chamber 23, which communicates with the water heating chamher, which will now be described.

Upon the top of the body 1 is supported a cup 24: of suitable insulating material within a metallic shell 30, and the base of which is formed with a circular trough 25 and a series of holes 26 at the bottom of said trough and communicating at their lower ends with the chamber 23, and is also formed with an arcuate slot 27 communicating at its lower end with a conduit 29 formed in the body 1 and communicating at its lower end with the water outlet 4. Supported upon the central portion of the base of the cup is a solid conductor 31 of carbon, graphite, platinum or like material, and supported on said base around the holes 26 and between said holes 26 and the slot 27, is a tubular conductor 32 of like material. Closely surrounding the top of the conductor 31 is a metallic ferrule 33 integral with a block 34 thereon, and closely surroundin the top of the tubular conductor 32 is a anged ring 36integral with a block 37 thereon. Screwed into said blocks 36, 37 are binding screws 38 which electrically connect therewith wires 39, 41, which lead from a source of electricity upwardly in a conduit channel 42 cored in the side of the body 1 and then in a groove 43 formed in the side of the insulating cup 24:. An insulating plate 44 is then laid on the cup and conductors 31, 32, apertured to receive said blocks, and grooved in its top to receive said wires 39, 41. An insulating cap 46, formed with recesses on its under side to receive said binding screws, is then placed on the top of the plate 44 and binding screws 38 and is secured in position by means of long screws 47, which are passed through holes in the cap, plate and cup and are screwed into the body 1. A shell or casing 48 is then placed over and around said cap, plate and cup and telescopes over a reduced portion of the body with a tight fit, as shown at 49.

With the above construction it will be seen that there are formed an annular water-heating chamber 51 and an outer annular chamber 52. The inner water chamber 51 communicates at the top with the top of the outer chamber 52 by means of a circular series of holes 53 through the upper portion of the tubular conductor 32, so that, when the valve is turned in the proper position, the water flows from the heating chamber 51 through the holes 53 into the annular chamber or conduit 52 and out by the spout 9. The water flowing between the conductors -31 and 32 closes the circuit therebetween, so that a current of electricity flows through the water, which, offering high resistance to the passage of said current, is heated in its upward flow.

The insulating cup is an important feature of my invention as it prevents the heat generated in the water by the electric current being transmitted to the metallic shell and then radiated to the surrounding atmosphere.

If the valve be turned half-way between the positions for cold and hot water respectively, the ends of the angular conduit 21 therein will communicate respectively with the ports 11 and 22. In this position the water supply is cut off and the water between the two conductors 31and 32 and closing the circuit therebetween, runs off by the holes 26, chamber 23, port 22, angular conduit 21 and spout 9. The diameter of the lower portion of the conductor 31 is considerably reduced, as shown at 54. The reason for this construction is that, as the water runs off from the chamber 51, and the residuum of the water carries the whole of the current, this residuum becomes very hot and therefore has less resistance and tends to bubble and boil and not to run out sufliciently fast. By reducing the diameter of the lower portion this result is avoided.

The nozzle 8 prevents the cold water,

when turned on, from rushing into the chamber 52 and then through the holes 53 into the chamber 51.

In order to vary as desired the temperature to which the water may be raised by the electric current, I, vary the velocity of the stream of water flowing through the heating chamber 51, and this I do by varying the extent to which the inlet end of the angular conduit 21 in the valve registers 7 with the port 7. This I accomplish by attaching the handle 57 to the stem of the valve adjustably, by making the operating end of said handle forked and connecting the two members by a screw 58 which can 8 draw them together and thus tighten them around said stem. One of said fork members is provided with a finger 59, which, on turning the handle to. the hot water position, abuts against astop 61 cast on the 8' body 1, and the extent to which the valve has been turned when said finger abuts against said stop ,determines the extent of registry of the end of the conduit 21 with the port 7, and therefore the velocity of the 9 flow of water through the chamber 51.

I claim 1. In an electric Water heater having wide and narrow inlet conduits, a discharge spout, and an electric heating chamber com- 9 municating with said discharge spout, a 1'0- tary valve adapted to form a communication in one position between the wide inlet conduit and the discharge spout, and in another position between the narrow inlet conduit 1 and the heating chamber.

2. In an electric water heater having an inlet conduit, a discharge spout, and an electric heating chamber communicating with said discharge spout, a rotary valve adapted 1 in one position to form a communication between the conduit and the discharge spout, and a nozzle leading from said valve and discharging intosaid discharge spout.

3. In combination with a body having a 1 discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, an insulating cup on said body, the bottom ofwhich has a hole communicating with said last-named 1 conduit, and a hole communicating with the discharge conduit, a central conductor supported upon said bottom, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and between the holes, metallic conductors elec- 1 trically connected to said conductors, and an insulating cap closing said cup.

4. In combination with a body having a discharge conduit and a valve seat,'a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve 1 seat to the top of the body, an insulating cup on said body, the bottom of which has a hole communicating with Saidlast-named conduit, and a hole communicating with the discharge conduit, a central conductor sup- 1 tor around the first-named conductor and between the holes, metallic conductors electrically connected to the upper ends of said conductors, a plate of insulating material upon said cup, and having recesses for said metallic conductors, wires connected to said metallic conductors, and a cap of insulating material on said plate.

5. In combination with a body having a discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, an insulating cup on said body, the bottom of which has a hole communicating with said last-named conduit, and a hole communicating with the discharge conduit, a central conductor supported upon said bottom, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and between the holes, metallic conductors electrically connected to the upper ends of said conductors, a plate of insulating ma terial upon said cup, and having recesses for said metallic conductors, wires connected to said metallic conductors, a cap of insulating material on said plate and screws passed through holes in said cap, plate and cup and screwed to said body.

6. In combination with a body having a discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, a central conductor supported by said body, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and forming therewith a heating chamber of greater width at the bottom, the bottom of which communicates with said last-named conduit, said valve having a port adapted to drain water from said lastnamed conduit through the discharge outlet and metallic conductors electrically connected to said conductors.

7. In combination with a body having a discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, a conductor supported by said body and of reduced thickness at the bottom, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and forming therewith a heating chamber, the bot-" discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, an insulating cup on said body, the bottom of which has a trough and a hole communicating therewith and with said last-named conduit, and a hole communicating with the discharge conduit, a central conductor supported upon said bottom, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and between the holes, metallic conductors electrically connected to the upper ends of said conductors, a plate of insulating material upon said cup and terminals, and having recesses for said metallic conductors, wires connected to said metallic conductors, and a cap of insulating I material on said plate.

9. In combination with a body having a discharge conduit and a valve seat, a valve therein, a conduit leading from said valve seat to the top of the body, an insulating cup on said body, the bottom of which has a hole communicatin with said lastnamed conduit, and a ho e communicating with the discharge conduit, a central conductor supported upon said bottom, a tubular conductor around the first-named conductor and between the holes, metallic conductors electrically connected to the upper ends of said conductors and having depending flanges surrounding said first-named conductors, a plate of insulating material upon said cup and metallic conductors, and having recesses for said metallic conductors, wires connected to said metallic conductors, and a cap of insulating material on said plate.

10. In an electric water heater having an inlet conduit, a discharge spout, and an electric heating chamber communicating with said discharge spout, a rotary valve adapted to form a communication in one position between said inlet conduit and discharge spout, and in another position between said inlet conduit and heating chamber, a stop for arresting the movement of the valve handle when moved to hot water position, and means for adjusting the handle upon the valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST o. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

F. M. WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS. 

